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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Well developed characters, good history, fun to hear the Monopoly board played out in the setting, crazy plot line that I thought was absolutely silly until I found out it is based on a true story from the author's own family! The first chapter threw me for a loop and I was immediately sucked in, I just couldn't stop listening. It's tragic, but also redemptive, and left me in wonder at how things were so incredibly different in the 1930's than they are now, though some things seemed to have not changed.
3.5 stars. The Author's Note at the end pushed it up by a 1/2 star.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really good; ending was fairly satisfying tho the whole story was pretty tragic.
I just finished Florence Adler Swims Forever and throughout the novel, I struggled with is this one of the best books I've read of 2020 or one of the best books I've ever read! It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel for Rachel Beanland and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Over the course of one summer, three generations of the Adler family from Atlantic City will struggle with loss, heartbreak, friendship, romance, and the weight of family secrets. This historical fiction novel will keep readers on their toes not knowing what comes next. The first shock coming in the first few pages.
Florence has returned from college to Atlantic City. She plans to finish her training to swim the English Channel. This summer is unlike any other summer though. Her older sister Fannie is in the hospital on bed rest after having lost a baby the previous summer. Sharing her bedroom with her this summer is the mysterious Anna who her father has taken into their home to help her and her family emigrate from Nazi Germany. Her brother in law has secrets of his own he's keeping from her parents and her sister. When tragedy hits the family Florences mom must make the difficult decision to hide the tragedy from her sister while ensuring the whole family keeps these secrets. This book had it all.
Make sure to read the author's note at the end of the story!
Over the course of one summer, three generations of the Adler family from Atlantic City will struggle with loss, heartbreak, friendship, romance, and the weight of family secrets. This historical fiction novel will keep readers on their toes not knowing what comes next. The first shock coming in the first few pages.
Florence has returned from college to Atlantic City. She plans to finish her training to swim the English Channel. This summer is unlike any other summer though. Her older sister Fannie is in the hospital on bed rest after having lost a baby the previous summer. Sharing her bedroom with her this summer is the mysterious Anna who her father has taken into their home to help her and her family emigrate from Nazi Germany. Her brother in law has secrets of his own he's keeping from her parents and her sister. When tragedy hits the family Florences mom must make the difficult decision to hide the tragedy from her sister while ensuring the whole family keeps these secrets. This book had it all.
Make sure to read the author's note at the end of the story!
This book was different and I was inspired by the author’s own family. I felt a peak into the Adler’s lives and what a mother and father will do to protect her family. Gussie was my favorite character, she was adorable and I felt bad for her throughout the whole book.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love that this is based on a true story and it was really good until the end fell flat for me. There really wasn't a climax to the story and the deceit was disappointing. I had hoped that things would tie up nicely with a bow but I guess it's more like real life in this way.
I listened to this on audio and enjoyed it immensely. Had I read a physical copy, I may not have enjoyed it as much because it is very character driven. This is a book about people and their relationships to each other and the motivations that drive them to make decisions. It illustrates well the reason(s) people may make what seem like bad decisions for good reasons.